- Cooley Law School Stadium
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Cooley Law School Stadium Lugnuts Stadium 
Former names Oldsmobile Park (1996–2010) Location 505 E. Michigan Ave.
Lansing, Michigan 48912Broke ground April 3, 1995 Opened April 3, 1996 Owner City of Lansing Operator Lansing Entertainment & Public Facilities Authority (LEPFA) Surface Grass Construction cost $12,800,000
($17.9 million in 2011 dollars[1])Architect HNTB Corporation (Kansas City) Structural engineer J&S Structural Engineers[2] General Contractor Clark Construction[3] Capacity 7,527 (+ 6,000 lawn seating) Field dimensions Left field: 305 feet (93 m)
Center field: 412 feet (126 m)
Right field: 305 feet (93 m)Tenants Lansing Lugnuts (1996–present)
Michigan State Spartans (1996–present)Cooley Law School Stadium (previously known as Oldsmobile Park) is a baseball stadium in Lansing, Michigan, home field of the Lansing Lugnuts minor league baseball team. The Michigan State Spartans college baseball team also plays select home games at Cooley Law School Stadium. The stadium is situated in downtown Lansing in the Stadium District on a relatively narrow strip of land between and below two streets (Larch and Cedar streets) downtown Lansing. The stadium was initially named Oldsmobile Park after its largest sponsor, Oldsmobile, the General Motors automobile line that was discontinued in 2004.
It is primarily used for baseball, though it is also used as an ice skating rink and a movie theater, among other things. Due to the dimensions of the city block in which the stadium was constructed, the right and left field fences 'notch' sharply in to distances of 305 feet (93 m) at each foul pole.
Contents
History
Groundbreaking for the stadium took place on April 3, 1995, and it was officially opened exactly one year later on April 3, 1996. Its first game was between the college baseball teams of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. Two days later, the Lansing Lugnuts had their first game at the venue against the Rockford Cubbies.[4] The stadium replaced a block of storefronts along Michigan Avenue. Originally budgeted $10 million for construction, the construction costs rose slightly to $12.8 million.[5] Across the street from Cooley Law School Stadium is the Stadium District, a large complex made up of small businesses. Condominiums, completed in spring 2009, are also located in the Stadium District.
On February 22, 2010, Lansing mayor Virgil Bernero announced that the stadium would be renamed Thomas M. Cooley Law School Stadium, a result of the park's new sponsorship agreement.[6] In March 2010, Lansing-based Jackson National Life Insurance Company purchased the rights to name the field "Jackson Field" for 1 years. Thus, the full name of the venue is Jackson Field at Thomas M. Cooley Law School Stadium.[7]
Field dimensions
- Left field: 305 feet (93 m)
- Center field: 412 feet (126 m)
- Right field: 305 feet (93 m)
Gallery
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Cooley Law School Stadium view from the outfield
References
- ^ Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–2008. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved December 7, 2010.
- ^ "Sports Facility Experience". J&S Structural Engineers. http://jsstructuralengineers.com/SportsExp.html. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cooley Law School Stadium Information". Lansing Lugnuts. http://www.lansinglugnuts.com/PARK/park_info.html. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
- ^ "Cooley Law School Stadium Facts". Park Guide. Cooley Law School Stadium. http://cooleylawschoolstadium.com/park-guide/stadium-facts. Retrieved May 27, 2008.
- ^ "Homepage". Lansing Lugnuts. http://www.lansinglugnuts.com/fan_action/101404.html. Retrieved May 27, 2008.
- ^ Domsic, Melissa (February 22, 2010). "Lugnuts ballpark soon will be Cooley Law School Stadium". Lansing State Journal. http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20100222/NEWS01/2220338. Retrieved February 22, 2010.
- ^ "Jackson National lands Lugnuts field naming rights". Lansing State Journal. March 22, 2010. http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20100322/NEWS03/303220002/Jackson-National-lands-Lugnuts-field-naming-rights. Retrieved March 22, 2010.
External links
Current ballparks in the Midwest League Eastern Division Bowling Green Ballpark (Bowling Green Hot Rods) • Classic Park (Lake County Captains) • Cooley Law School Stadium (Lansing Lugnuts) • Coveleski Stadium (South Bend Silver Hawks) • Dow Diamond (Great Lakes Loons) • Fifth Third Ballpark (West Michigan Whitecaps) • Fifth Third Field (Dayton Dragons) • Parkview Field (Fort Wayne TinCaps)Western Division Ashford University Field (Clinton LumberKings) • Community Field (Burlington Bees) • Elfstrom Stadium (Kane County Cougars) • Modern Woodmen Park (Quad Cities River Bandits) • O'Brien Field (Peoria Chiefs) • Pohlman Field (Beloit Snappers) • Time Warner Cable Field (Wisconsin Timber Rattlers) • Veterans Memorial Stadium (Cedar Rapids Kernels)Baseball parks of the Big Ten Conference Illinois Field (Illinois Fighting Illini) • Sembower Field (Indiana Hoosiers) • Duane Banks Field (Iowa Hawkeyes) • Ray Fisher Stadium (Michigan Wolverines) • McLane Stadium (Michigan State Spartans) • Cooley Law School Stadium (Michigan State Spartans) • Target Field (Minnesota Golden Gophers) • Hawks Field (Nebraska Cornhuskers) • Rocky Miller Park (Northwestern Wildcats) • Bill Davis Stadium (Ohio State Buckeyes) • Medlar Field (Penn State Nittany Lions) • Lambert Field (Purdue Boilermakers)
Categories:- Midwest League ballparks
- Sports venues in Lansing, Michigan
- Minor league baseball venues
- Sports venues in Michigan
- College baseball venues in the United States
- Event venues established in 1996
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